HIGH AND LOW

(1963) dir. Akira Kurosawa; 142min.

FRIDAY, December 3rd at 7 & 9:30pm

SATURDAY, December 4th at 7 & 9:30pm

SUNDAY, December 5th at 3pm

Kingo Gondo is a wealthy executive in 1960s Japan. Gondo's son is kidnapped and held for a random equal to the value of Gondo's business. Gondo must choose between financial ruin and saving his son's life until he learns the kidnappers have mistakenly took his chauffeur's son. Gondo's son is safe, but now Gondo must decide if he is willing to make the sacrifices necessary to save his chauffeur's son. The film tells the story from the points of view of Gondo, the police conducting the investigation, and the kidnapping victim. High and Low examines the characteristic and moral similarities between the film's hero and villain as both Gondo and the kidnappers are caught in tough moral dilemmas.  High and Low is more or less a cops and robber mystery, but since the film is Akira Kurosawa's interpretation of film noir it contains the technical skill and crafted storytelling for which the director is known.